Spike-lock.



No. 791,521, PATENTED JUNE 6,1905.

H. s. WATERMAN. SPIKE LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.7,105.

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W|TNESSES= V INVENTOR I BY Q 7 E I ATTORNEY Iatented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S. WATERMAN, OF EAST TAWAS, MICHIGAN.

SPIKE-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,521, dated June 6,1905.

Application filed April 7,1905. $e1'ialN0. 254,392.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY S. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Tawas, in the county of Iosco and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spike-Locks; and Ivdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail-fastening devices, and pertains moreparticularly to devices for holding the rail down upon the tieplate toprevent undue vibration or relative movement of the rail-flange and thespike.

The means consist in the devices illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a tieplate provided with apreferred form of spikehole. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of thespike, tie-plate, and rail-flange in place. Fig. 3 is a sectional detailshowing a modified form of hole in the tie-plate, and Fig. llis asimilar detail showing a spike provided with projections to facilitateits engagement with the tieplate.

As is well-known, it is customary in modern railway practice to insertbetween the rail and tie a steel tie-plate in which holes are providedfor the insertion of the spikes. These holes are usually madesomewhatlarger than the spike, the ordinary spike being aboutnine-sixteenths of an inch square. The spike can then be driven freelythrough the hole in the tie-plate, in which case its holding powerdepends solely upon the resistance of the fibers of the tie actingagainst the faces of the spike. I

It is the purpose of this invention to provide in a tie-platespike-locking means Whereby the spike will in the act of driving befirmly gripped by the tie-plate and when fully driven will be held downupon the rail-flange, thus holding the flange, spike, and tie-platetogether and preventing relative movement between the spike and therail-flange, as

above noted. I attain this result without the use of any extrafastenings or appliances,

utilizing for the purpose of locking the parts together only the spikeand any form of tieplate. I attain this object by providing a tie-plate1 with ahole 1 slightly smaller in at least one direction than the spikewhich is to be driven into it. This hole may be of any suitable shape,it being only necessary that in the act of driving the spike shallengage with powerful frictional resistance some part of that portion ofthe plate around the hole 1*.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the manner in which the spike and tie-plateoperate in practice. The comparatively rough surface of the spike as itis driven through the hole wipes down a thin layer of metal forming theedges of the hole'in the tie-plate, and in so doing wipes up a similarpart of the metal of the spike, as indicated at 2 in Fig. 2, the drawingbeing exaggerated to better show the efiect. The result of driving thespike is that the metal around the edge of the hole and the metal of thespike in contact therewith are put under strain and brought into mostintimate contact, so that a powerful resistance is set up against anytendency to withdraw the spike.

In the particular adaptation of this construction to a railway-tie plateand railwayspike I am enabled to firmly lock the tie-plate and spike. Ihave thereby attained an important improvement in the art of trackconstruction and have effected great saving in the cost of trackmaintenance and added great safety to the track.

In Fig. 4: I have illustrated amodified form of spike provided near itstop with serrations or projections 3, which may be formed by cuttinginto the face of the spike with acoldchisel or any other suitable toolor by stamping or drop-forging. The oflice of the projections 3 is toprovide on the faces of the spike near its upper end slight projectionswhich are disturbed by driving, thereby tending to jam the spike in theplate-opening when withdrawal of the spike is attempted.

I have shown in Fig.3 a parallel-sided opening and in Fig. 1 a taperedopening, either of which may be successfully used in connection withthis invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, isas follows:

1. In a-spike-loek the combination with a spike of a tie-plate providedwith an opening slightly smaller in at least one direction than thecross-section of the spike.

2. In a spike-lock the combination with a spike of a tie-plate having atapered opening slightly smaller in at least one direction than thecross-section of the spike for the purpose set forth.

3. In aspike-lock the combination of a spike having projections near itshead; together with a tie-plate provided with an opening slightlysmaller in at least one direction 15 than the cross-section of thespike.

4. In a spike-lock the combination with a spike of a tie-plate providedwith an opening slightly smaller in at least one direction than saidspike and adapted by frictional contact to engage said spike when thespike is driven.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY S. VVATERMAN.

VVit-nesses:

J. R. MANsFIELD, H. F. TIEDKE.

